Fence post brackets - yes or no?

Jeepers_Creepers

Sol, if you can get the old rotten posts out of the holes, then the simplest solution is to replace with the same - timber 3x3 posts. That would be the easiest solution (provided you can get them in there ok!), and they'd last another 10 years at least.

You can probably increase their longevity by standing them in timber preserver for a day - it's only the part in the ground that'll rot.

I personally wouldn't try and go repair spike, either of the two types shown before. The 'spike' will rely on the timber already in the ground being hard enough to support it (I think that was the idea), and the chances are it'll actually either be too soft to do the job, or too hard to hammer the spike in!

The other kind - the 'proper' concrete type, will require you to fill these holes with concrete. What'll happen then when the metal holder rusts?

grumbler

Jeepers_Creepers said:

I personally wouldn't try and go repair spike, either of the two types shown before. The 'spike' will rely on the timber already in the ground being hard enough to support it (I think that was the idea), and the chances are it'll actually either be too soft to do the job, or too hard to hammer the spike in!

My understanding is that it relies mainly on the surrounding concrete. Otherwise it'll just split even fresh wood.

Apodemus

grumbler said:

Jeepers_Creepers said:

I personally wouldn't try and go repair spike, either of the two types shown before. The 'spike' will rely on the timber already in the ground being hard enough to support it (I think that was the idea), and the chances are it'll actually either be too soft to do the job, or too hard to hammer the spike in!

My understanding is that it relies mainly on the surrounding concrete. Otherwise it'll just split even fresh wood.

Absolutely!  You don't even need to remove the old rotten timber below ground.  The repair spike is an 'L' shaped bracket that slips down the inner face of the existing concrete hole until the full width of the face is engaged. 

Trust me - they are very easy to use and work very well.  If, like me, you are re-using the old post (and from the OP's picture it looks as if they might have been able to if they weren't also wanting to raise the height of the fence), the repair spike can cost about the same as a new post.  The repair spike really is a simple solution.

Jeepers_Creepers

Thanks Grumb and Apod - I get how it works now.

From looking at the item, I'd assumed it was a 'normal' spike designed for ground, and would therefore have been expected to be hammered into the remaining timber, which was clearly going to be problematical.

So they are designed for just this sort of job - rotted posts embedded in concrete? And are driven down against the concrete sides? They must still rely on the timber being pretty firm?

Apodemus

Jeepers_Creepers said:

Thanks Grumb and Apod - I get how it works now.

From looking at the item, I'd assumed it was a 'normal' spike designed for ground, and would therefore have been expected to be hammered into the remaining timber, which was clearly going to be problematical.

So they are designed for just this sort of job - rotted posts embedded in concrete? And are driven down against the concrete sides? They must still rely on the timber being pretty firm?

No they don't depend on the old timber at all.  This video: https://youtu.be/bV2UhuOltMo  shows a repair spike in use, although they have good timber still in the hole.  In practice the angled sides do a good job of slotting into the hole and once fully in, the bracket simply can't move in any direction unless the concrete is cracked - you have a 100mm x 100mm L-shaped bracket in a 100mm x 100mm hole, it can only fit one way! If you want to get fancy, I guess you could fill the old hole with some dry postcrete, hammer home the repair spike, then water it, but I've never found that necessary.

sol2017

This is brilliant! Looks like the repair spurs are the way to go. Thank you all for your help and detailed explanation! 🙂 

mandy47

My neighbour used fence post brackets on top of the new dividing wall then put 5ft panels on top. First storm bought them down. Even ripped bricks out of the wall where brackets were attached. They've now had it done 3 times with the same method. Don't understand why they keep trying the same method and expecting different results. Waste of money.

Jeepers_Creepers

Apodemus said:

No they don't depend on the old timber at all.  This video: https://youtu.be/bV2UhuOltMo  shows a repair spike in use, although they have good timber still in the hole.  In practice the angled sides do a good job of slotting into the hole and once fully in, the bracket simply can't move in any direction unless the concrete is cracked - you have a 100mm x 100mm L-shaped bracket in a 100mm x 100mm hole, it can only fit one way! If you want to get fancy, I guess you could fill the old hole with some dry postcrete, hammer home the repair spike, then water it, but I've never found that necessary.

Ah! I see!!!

Do they ever-so-slightly taper so's they make a tight interference fit?

I personally wouldn't concrete them in, 'cos once you've done that you are stuck with them - even after they rust (which I presume they will in time).